Locking-fastener for tie-cords.



Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

0. W.-*YOUNG.- LOCKING FASTENER FOR ME CORDS.

THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0.. WASHINGTON, D. c.

APPLlCATIDN FILED FEB-10 1915.

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CHARLES W. YOUNG, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 EDGAR H. JAMES, 013 LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

Application filed February 10, 1815.

cord threaded through eyelets in the sack,

and held by means of a fastener which, while effective as a fastener, may be readily operated by anyone to unfasten the cord and thus afford access to the contents of the sacks. As a consequence, much loss of mail matter, particularly since the advent-of the parcels post system, has arisen through theft by persons gaining access to the mail sacks in the way above mentioned. To

avoid this, the practice has been to use a strap around the bag below the part where the tie-cord is usually applied and to lock the strap. This practice, however, is unsatisfactory for several reasons. sive in that the purchase of new parts and the scrapping or discarding of fasteners already in use is necessary. It also results in a considerable diminution in the capacity of a mail sack, which is also an important consideration.

The primary object of my invention is to render the fastener already in use safe against persons not authorized to enter mail sacks to which the same are applied. By such a device any of the ordinary mail sacks may be readily converted into locked pouches or sacks, and by so converting said ordinary mail sacks, it would be unnecessary to continue the use of any form of pouch other than those for use at catch stations. Moreover, the additional cost in employing my device is very small. A mail sack with my improved device may also be locked in a very much shorter time than is now required to lock the soft head pouch, the most rapidly locked pouch now in use.

In order to more fully describe my invention, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings which show one specific embodiment thereof, and wherein,

Figure 1, is a fragmentary front elevation of a mail sack with my invention applied thereto; Fig. 2, a central vertical sec- Specifieation of Letters Patent. 7

It is expen-.

LOCKING-FASTENER FOR TIE-CORDS.

Patented Mar. 21, 1916. Serial No. 7,437.

tion of myimproved fastenershown full s ze; Flg. 8, a top plan view, partly in section, of the fastener shown in Fig. :2; Fig. 4, a top plan view of the fastener with the lockingcap removed, and showing the manner of looping the cord; Fig. 5, a top plan view of the fastener with the cap closed; Fig. 6, a. side elevation of my improved fastener, and Fig. 7 a cross-section on line 3 Fig. 3.

The tie-cord fastener, referred to above, as 1n general use in the U. S. Railway Mail Service comprises, among otherparts, a base plate 1, to the upper face of which is made fast a guide casing 2 open at both ends and through which the two ends of the cord 3 are threaded. Within this casing are plvoted two clamping dogs 4 and 5, provided respectively with toes 6 and 7, and heads 8 and 9, each of said heads having an opening through which the cord is threaded. The toes of the clamping dogs are adapted to bite into the lower side of the cord and force the same against the top of easing 2. It will be seen that a pull on the tie-cord ends of the cord in Fig. 2, for example, will 'force the heads of the clamping dogs down and the toes up, thereby causing the dogs, in cooperation with the top of casing 2, to clamp or fasten the cords. Such fastener, however, may be readil released by lifting the heads of the clamping dogs.

In carrying out my' invention, I hinge or pivotally attach to the outside of guide casing 2, as at 10 and 11, near one end thereof, a metal cap or casing 12 open at its end ad- .jacent said hinged connection so as to permit passage of the cord therethrough into the casing 2. This cap is closed at its forward end, top and sides, and at said forward end is provided with an extension 13'to form a hasp, and for which purpose it is provided with a slot 14 adapted to receive a staple 15, riveted to an extension 16, of plate 1. EX- tension 16 may be soldered, brazed or otherwise made fast to plate 1. or in case this extension is formed on the base plate in the first instance, it would naturally be made inte ral therewith.

There is formed in one side of the cap 12 an open end slot or opening 17 through which the cord passes out from said cap, as hereinafter described.

In employing my invention, the cord is threaded through the guide casing 2 of the fastener in the usual way, but instead of having' the ends of the cords hang free from the end of the fastener, as is now the practice, the cord is looped around the casing 2, as shown most clearly in Fig. I, and is then looped around the dog heads 8 and 9 and caused to extend at right angles across the casing 2. The cap 10 is then closed down upon the base plate with the ends of the cord extending out through the side opening 17 of said casing. The cap may then be locked by applying the usual mail padlock 18 to the staple 15.

In order to prevent the insertion of a screw driver or other implement in the opening 17, for the purpose of slipping the cord through the fastener after the cap is locked, I provide a guard plate 19 made fast to the base plate 1, and which when the cap is closed down upon the base plate, closes all of the opening 17 except the portion thereof tln-oughwhich the cord passes, the said guard plate being just inside one side of the cap when the latter is closed. It is therefore impossible for anyone to get at the cord or parts inside of the cap, when locked, in such a way as to render the locking ineffective. The cord thus looped around the fastening means within the cap, and brought through V the opening at the side thereof, is positively held locked and may not be slipped in any direction through the fastener while the cap is closed.

Having thus described one specific embodiment of m invention. it should be understood that the same is susceptible to changes and modifications within the scope of my claims.

What I claim is 1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a base plate having thereon cord holding means, of a cap adapted to .inclose said holding means and the cord secured thereby and having an opening through its side for the passage of the ends of the cord.

2. In adevice of the class described, the combination with a base plate having thereon cord holding means, of a cap adapted to inclose said holding means and the cord secured thereby and having an open end slot in its side for the passage of the ends of the cord, a guard plate fastened to said base plate and adapted to cover a'portion of said slot when said cap is closed down over the looped cord and holding means, and means for locking said cap to said base plate when closed down thereupon to inclose said looped cord and holding means.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a base plate having thereon cord fastening means, ofa hinged cap adapted to inclose said fastening means and the cord secured thereby, said cap'open at one end and having an opening in one side for the passage of the ends of the cord, a hasp formed on said cap, and a staple on said base plate.

t. In adevice of the class described, the combination, with a tie-cord fastening having a base plate, of a guide casing thereon for the passage of the cord, means to clamp said cord Within said casing, a cap hinged to said casing. open at one end and having an open end slot in one of its sides for the passage of the cord, and adapted to inclose said casing and the cord looped therearound, and means to lock said cap and base plate together.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

7 CHARLES W. YOUNG. Witnesses:

E. G. MARSHALL, FRANCIS S. MAGUIRE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

